Roughing It in the Bush

hard to get into but worth it

(4 stars)

jaded_grl

the reader does a good job on this book. the start of the book is a little hard to get into. i have started this book before and gave up on it. this time i held out and several chapters into it i finally took enough interest to pay attention. the writer trys to go chronologically, but at times she goes back to previous homes etc and you can get confused if not paying attention. its not really a complete story - just events that happened thrown together without a common flow. at times the writers husband is telling the story - without warning, so that can get REALLY confusing. but overall i enjoyed it and think its a worthy read for males/females - probably wont be interesting to kids.

An Outstanding Work

(5 stars)

Roman100

The author, Susanna Moodie, is an extremely intelligent, compassionate and observant person with a marked talent for writing and for poetry. It is no surprise that her book had been a bestseller in its day. It is even today of the greatest interest, especially to a Canadian. I liked most particularly her very sympathetic vignettes of Canada's native peoples that she had encountered. The incredible hardships and poverty endured by Canada's early pioneers, so vividly described by the author, are a phase of history one tends to gloss over in modern times. Her remark in the early part of the book, which I copied and reproduce here, made me understand so much better my own parents' feelings as immigrants to this same land, whom I had as a youth classified cavalierly and harshly as perpetual exiles: "My heart yearned intensely for my absent home. Home! The word had ceased to belong to my present. It was doomed to live forever in the past. For what immigrant ever regarded the country of his exile as his home? To the land that he has left that name belongs forever, and in no instance does he bestow it upon another. 'I have got a letter from home ...'; 'I have seen a friend from home...'; 'I dreamt last night that I was at home...'; are expressions of everyday occurrence to prove that the heart acknowledges no other home than the land of its birth". How aptly, how penetratingly put! The reader, Moira Fogarty, with a most agreeable voice, does a superlative job. One gets the feeling at times that it is, in fact, Susanna Moodie herself speaking the lines of her own work. I cannot recomment this book too highly, it is such a worthwhile read!

Historical and Interesting

(5 stars)

benefitsingers

This is a really good depiction of what pioneer life was like in Canada. I love Canada and grew up near the border. Parts of the story were pretty funny the way the author talked about Americans and borrowing. The narrator was beyond fabulous. I love the different accents she does and how appropriate to have a Canadian narrating this story. I enjoyed this very much. Toward the end it got a bit boring, too much politics. I like the parts of the story about roughing it much better. I recommend this, very good!

I really enjoyed listening to this account of Canadian pioneerin

(5 stars)

Roger

Great reading, surprisingly interesting book

(5 stars)

Steve

I have picked this up on a whim, and was very pleasantly surprised. The book is quite an interesting account of the place and times, although it takes a bit to get into. But more importantly: the reader is brilliant, with a voice I could listen to all day.

Ditto the others

(4 stars)

TwinkieToes

I echo the other reviewers. The reader did an excellent job at this, and the book itself was insightful and interesting.

top narration

(5 stars)

Tom Magnum

thank you Moira. Amazing cadence, clarity and pronunciation. 5 stars

kam

(4.5 stars)

Kam

so enjoyed this book, such an excellent reader. thanku